Question

The 'Kigali Amendment', ratified by India, is associated with which environmental issue?

• A. Deforestation
• B. Ozone layer protection
• C. Plastic pollution
• D. Ocean acidification

Hint:

Montreal Protocol = Phasing out ozone-depleting substances (CFCs). Kigali Amendment (to Montreal Protocol) = Phasing down their replacements (HFCs) because they are greenhouse gases. Both are linked to ozone protection efforts.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is B

Step 1: Understand the Montreal Protocol. The Montreal Protocol (1987) is a landmark international treaty designed to protect the ozone layer by phasing out the production of substances responsible for ozone depletion, such as chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs). It has been extremely successful.

Step 2: Define the Kigali Amendment. The Kigali Amendment is an amendment to the Montreal Protocol, adopted in 2016 in Kigali, Rwanda. As CFCs were phased out, they were often replaced by hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs). While HFCs are safe for the ozone layer, they are extremely potent greenhouse gases that contribute to global warming. The Kigali Amendment's purpose is to phase down the production and use of HFCs.

Step 3: Connect the Amendment to the correct issue. Since the Kigali Amendment is an update to the Montreal Protocol, it falls under the broader framework of ozone layer protection treaties. Even though its direct target (HFCs) affects climate change more than the ozone layer, its legal origin and context are firmly with the ozone treaties.